Sealed package and method of sealing



June 14, 19 32. 3, w MULLEN 1,863,025

SEALED PACKAGE AND METHOD OF SEALING Filed July 25, 1929 lNV ENTO Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE W. MULLEN, OF FLUSHIN G, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ANCHOR CAP & CLOSURE CORPORATION, OF LONG ISLAND. CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SEALED PACKAGE AND METHOD OF SEALING Application filed July 25,

The present invention relates to the art of sealing closures and more particularly to a sealed package and method of sealing.

In sealing closure caps having beads in the skirt thereof for supporting gaskets, it has been customary to force the lower side of the bead inwardly into close proximity to the container which compresses the portion of the gasket adjacent the upper part of the 13 bead and forces the portion of the gasket adjacent the bottom of the bead into tight engagement with the container. Such caps have been sold commercially in large quantities in spite of certain difficulties encoun- 15 tered both in sealing and in removing the caps. In sealing the caps, there is a tendency for the narrow band of metal about the closure to spring outwardly after the forming chucks or dies have compressed the metal of the cap into its proper position. -In addition the lower side of the bead in the sealed package is forced inwardly and the distance between the lower edge of the cap and the side wall of the container becomes very small. These caps are removed by applying a cap opener to engage under the bottom of the skirt just as an ordinary soda-pop bottle is opened. Due to the fact that the lower part of the cap is constricted inwardly into close proximity with the side wall of the container, it has been difficult in many cases to obtain a proper hold on the bottom of the cap by means of the usual cap openers. This is particularly true of certain types of cap openers wherein the jaws are narrow and wherein certain dimensions are insuflicient to take care of the closures described' The present invention aims to overcome these difficulties by providing a cap adapted to effectively seal containers and, at the same time, to reinforce the constricted part of the cap so that the recoil of the metal subsequent to the setting operation is a minimum and, in addition, to provide. a wide shelf at the lower part of the cap to support the gasket and to afford a substantial surface for engagement with the lower jaw of the bottle opener or other tool to facilitate the removal of the cap.

1929. Serial No. 380,895.

An object of the present invention is to provide an effective seal for glass containers Another object of the invention is to provide a side seal having the lower edge of the cap spaced a substantial distance from the side wall of the container to facilitate removal.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of sealing closures wherein theportion of the cap holding the gasket in position is reinforced to effect a very secure seal between the gasket and the container.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrated embodiment about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevationa view of a package embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the cap resting upon a container in unsealed position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the cap sealed to the container;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating one means for sealing the cap, showing the position of the elements at the commencement of the sealing operation;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4, showing the position of the elements at the completion of the sealing operation;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illus-. trating a seal in which the inturned flange at the lower edge of the cap is longer than that shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 illustrates a slightly different form of seal wherein the metal at the upper part of the bead forms an inwardly extending concave groove; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a container having a sealing bead adapted to co-operate with the gasket to give a more secure hold upon the container.

Referring more particularly to the drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and one way of practicing the method, there is shown a container 1 having a closure cap 2. In the preferred form, the closure cap has a bead 4 in the lower portion of the skirt thereof with an inturned flange 5 adapted to support a gasket 6 in the bead. Before the sealing operation, the cap and gasket fit loosely upon the container, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the sealing operation a pair of dies are preferably used, the upper die 7 being adapted to telescope about and fit around the closure cap with a lower die 8 adapted to fit about the container and a supporting shelf 9 adapted to engage the bottom of the skirt. The upper end of the lower die may be recessed, as shown at 10, to accommodate the outer part 11 of the upper sealing die 7. The recess in the upper die 7 conforms to the shape of the cap with an outwardly bevelled edge 12 adapted to rest against the upper corner 14 of the bead 4 of the cap. 'When the two dies, 7 and 8, are moved toward each other to seal the container, the lower edge 5 of the skirt of the cap rests against the shelf on the lower die 8 while the bevelled part 12 of the upper die presses against the corner 16!: of the bead of the cap to force it radially inward to constrict the upper part of the bead about the container. Preferably, the constricted band of metal is substantially concentric with the side wall of the container and fits against the cylindrical part 15 of the upper die. The lower part of the skirt conforms to the bevelled portion 12 of the upper die giving an outward flare to the bottom of the cap and providing a substantial space between the outer edge of the cap and the external side wall of the container. This permits ready application of tools, such as a cap opener. for engaging and removing the cap.

In addition, the upper part 16 of the bead, being constricted inwardly. is reinforced by the upper shelf or side of the head 17 and is also reinforced by the outwardly flared lower part of the bead indicated at 18. In other words, the constricted part of the bead, which is subjected to the greatest pressure, is reinforced at its upper and at its lower art to minimize any recoil occasioned by t e outward pressure of the gasket subsequent to the sealing operation. The sealing operation is performed entirely by members moving in a. vertical plane substantially parallel to the side wall of the container. The entire pressure on the side wall of the container is through the intermediation of the gasket which avoids breakage. It will be understood that the lower die may be made in several parts so that it can be expanded and contracted to permit the insertion of a container with a cap thereon through the opening therein and thereafter closed about the container to engage the lower edge of the bead and to co-operate with the upper sealing die to form an effective seal.

In Fig. 6, the lower edge of the skirt 5 has a wider shelf to furnish a more secure support for the gasket and, at the same time, to provide a wider surface against which a cap opener or other tool may be applied.

In Fig. 7; a slightly different form of seal is provided wherein the constricting operation is carried further than that shown in the other figures and results in the formation of an inwardly extending concave groove 19 which forces the gasket against the container and further reinforces the metal subjected to the greatest strain so that a Very effective seal is provided.

In Fig. 8 a slightly different form of container is illustrated with a bead 20 extending about the sealing surface thereof in position to engage the upper part of the gasket when a cap is applied thereto. The gasket, being constricted about the bead and under the bead, forms a very effective seal therewith. Such a seal is particularly useful for containers which are later to be subjected to pressure processing, that is, cooking or sterilizing of the contents subsequent to the sealing operation.

In making the seal the closure caps, as shown in Fig. 2, are provided with the gaskets assembled with the caps and these caps may be applied to containers either manually or by suitable cap feeding devices. The containers with the caps resting thereon are presented to a suitable sealing machine illustrated in part in Figs. 4 and 5 wherein the containers are raised through the lower sealing die which preferably is segmentary to permit opening and closing thereof for ingress, for sealing. and for egress of the container. \Vhen the container has passed through the lower scaling die, it closes about the lower edge of the skirt, whereupon a relative movement is occasioned between the two dies and the upper die. presses the corner 14 of the bead inwardly to constrict the upper portion of the bead, providing a band of metal substantially concentric with the side wall of the container which presses the gasket opening to permit the removal of the con-.

tainer therefrom.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a very effective seal wherein a constricted band of metal presses the upper portion of the gasket firmly against the container and the portion of the cap which is subjected to the greatest strain is reinforced by the upper side wall of the bead and by the lower flared portion of the skirt of the cap. This reinforcing prevents recoil and, in addition, holds the gasket securely against the container. Due to the fact that the seal is made through the intermediation of a gasket, a wider range of variations in size of containers may be accommodated. The lower flared portion of the skirt of the cap facilitates application of cap openers and the like for removal of the caps. tainers is simple and effective and may be performed with inexpensive machinery. Further, the resulting package is rugged in construction and fully capable of withstands ing the rough usage to which it may be subjected in shipment andother handling.

As various changes may be made in the form, arrangement and construction of the parts of the preferred embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus claim:

1. A sealed package comprising a container, a closure cap having a cover part and a depending skirt, a bead in said skirt, and a gasket in said bead, the outer upper corner of said head being pressed inwardly and downwardly toward the container without changing substantially the outer periphery of the lower portion of the bead and without decreasing the length of the skirt of the cap, and the lower edge of said bead forming substantially a horizontal shelf to hold said gasket in position.

2. A sealed package comprising a container having a bead on the sidewall thereof, a closure cap having a cover part and a depending skirt, a bead in said skirt and a gasket in said head adjacent the bead on the container, the upper outer corner of said head being constricted inwardly without changing substantially the position of the outer periphery Oftllt) lower portion of the bead with respect to the container to force the described my invention, I

gasket downwardly and against the bead on the container, without decreasing the length of the skirt of the cap.

3. A sealed package comprising'a glass container having a cover portion and a depending skirt, a substantially rectangular The method of sealing conbead in saidskirt, with the lower sideof the bead forming a horizontal shelf for supporting the gasket, the upper outer corner of the bead being constricted inwardly and downwardly to force the asket firmly against the container withoutisturbing substantially the lower outer periphery of said head with respect to, the container, and without decreasing the length of the skirt of the cap.

.4. -A sealed package comprising a container having an annular bead adjacent the upper end thereof, a sealing cap having a bead in the skirt thereof, a gasket in the bead of said cap with the upper part thereof adapted to fit against the sealing bead on the container, the upper corner of the bead of the closure being constricted substantially diagonally inwardly to force the upper part of said gasket toward the container and against the bead on said container, without decreasing the length of the skirt of the cap.

5. A sealed package comprising a container, a sealing closure having a substantially rectangular head in the skirt thereof, a substantially rectangular gasket in said bead, the upper outer corner of said bead being constricted diagonally inwardly toward the container to press the gasket inwardly and downwardly against the container, and a substantially horizontal shelf at the bottom a depending skirt, a substantially rectangular bead in the skirt of said cap, the upper outer corner of said bead being pressed substantially diagonally inward to force the gasket firmly against the container, the central portion of said outer side wall of the bead being forced inwardly to provide a concave annular groove pressing against the gasket to force it against the container.

7. The method of sealing containers, which method comprises placing a closure cap thereon having a substantially rectangular bead in the skirt thereof with a gasket in the bead, applying pressure to the upper outer corner of the bead of the cap to force said corner diagonally inwardly toward the container to form a tight friction seal therewith, without changing materially the position of the lower portion of the bead, and without de creasing the length of the skirt of the cap.

8. The method of sealing containers, which method comprises placing a closure cap on a container having a substantially rectangular bead in the skirt thereof with a gasket in the bead, applying pressure to the upper outer corner of the bead to force said corner diagonally inward to press the gasket against the container, and forming a concave annular groove in the central part of the vertical side wall of the bead, without changingthe position of the lower side ofv-the bead and without decreasin the length of the skirt of the cap in the sea ing operation.

9. A sealed package comprising a container, a sealing closure having a substantially 5 rectangular bead in the skirt thereof, a substantially rectangular gasket in said bead, the upper outer corner of said bead being constricted downwardly and inwardly toward the container to press the gasket inwardly and downwardly a ainst the container, and an inwardly extendlng shelf at the bottom of the bead for supportm the gasket.

' GEOR E W. MULLEN. 

